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The Benefits of Barefoot

30.11.2016

Many modern shoes are not a natural foot shape, damaging feet. When feet are given plenty of room to flex and splay, they gain the chance to re-align and re-strengthen. Vivobarefoot shoes are designed to allow your feet to have this space, even when you’re wearing shoes.

We believe that actually going barefoot is best. At home, on the beach or in the park, why not give your feet more chances to feel free? They’ll thank you for it!

We shouldn’t take the big toe for granted! This part of the foot is fundamental to natural movement, helping you to balance with every step and acting as a pivot point for movement. The Great toe needs plenty of space to move as it should do., which is why we make shoes with a wide to box.

Have you ever heard the term ‘use it or lose it’? Movement is supported by hundreds of muscles, tendons and ligaments throughout the body, especially the feet and legs. Wearing shoes that are unnecessarily supportive stop these tissues needing to work – and so natural strength and flexibility can be lost over time. But don’t panic, you can work to re-strengthen them provided they’re allowed to function naturally!

Learn more about transitioning to back to barefoot by reading this blog.

The feet are absolutely packed with bones that work together in an intricate structure to support strong, healthy movement. We all know that young bones are malleable, and so you won’t be surprised to hear that wearing tight, unnaturally shaped shoes can alter the physical structure of the foot. Not a very good idea when we know that our feet are the product of thousands of years of evolutionary refinement!

Why not have a look at this testimonialto the benefits of barefoot from the point of view of an orthopaedic surgeon?

80 Elephants!? This helps to put into context quite how hard your feet work every day. Modern shoes claim that to deal with the daily impact of walking, we require cushioned, padded shoes. We don’t agree. Instead, we believe your feet and legs need to be allowed to move naturally in order to do their job properly. The biomechanics of the feet and legs have been refined by 1000s of years of evolution – we don’t think we should interfere with that!

We believe that many modern shoe companies sell shoes that are bad for your feet. By convincing consumers that they need the latest technology in padding and arch support, or the latest fashion style, shoe brands are able to find new ways of selling shoes. But this can be to the detriment of foot health! Healthy shoes are thin, flat and flexible. Anything else interrupts natural movement.

We think shoes should let your feet more as effectively as possible. Why not Read our blogexploring why barefoot shoes work for Free?Runners

Studies into the difference in foot structure of children who are often barefoot, and those who regularly wear ‘normal’ shoes, show that not wearing shoes allows for more flexible arches and stronger intrinsic muscles. By restricting foot movement, ‘normal’ kids’ shoes can prevent the feet and legs from developing naturally. By wearing thin, flat and flexible shoes, Kids’ feet have the chance to develop as nature intended.

We’ve got a corner of our website dedicated to Kids’ feet. Have a look here.

90% of Kids are born with perfectly healthy feet. By the time we are adults, many of us will experience a movement related injury or health issues concerning our feet. Letting Kids’ feet develop naturally allows them to retain strength and flexibility. Squishing them into ‘shoe shaped shoes’ and preventing their arches from functioning properly can cause damage further down the line.

Most modern shoes are not designed to be foot shaped. They squash your feet, changing their structure to an unnatural shape that is weaker and prone to health problems.

Similarly to our hands, the feet are one of the most sensitive areas on the body. When we want to carry out intricate motor activities, we wouldn’t wear a pair of gloves. It doesn’t make sense to engage in complex motor tasks like running, balancing and navigating pathways wearing thick, padded shoes that dull sensory experience.

The evolutionary pathway of Homo Sapiens wasn’t just walked – we have evolved to be able to run for long distances across varying terrains in search of prey, and escaping predators. The biomechanics of movement are perfectly geared towards carrying us across vast distances – and our ancestors certainly were not wearing padded, arch supporting shoes!

The environment our ancestors existed in shaped the way we are today. It’s thought that when humans began living in varied terrains, the evolutionary pathway was directed towards developing bodies that were geared towards agility, endurance and movement, leading to the naturally athletic bodies of healthy humans today. We were born to move through a natural environment!

Somewhere along the line, modern society began teaching us that we should desire small, dainty feet regardless of their natural shape. However, a study that worked with men from the Karo Batak people who have lived in isolation of Western media showed that they prefer women with bigger feet.

Have a read of this blogto learn about the ancient history of barefoot shoes.

There’s a reason that many modern shoes have developed to be the way they are – and that is because we think that they look good! We understand that not everyone wants to be barefoot all of the time, but it’s a good start to wear wide, thin and flexible shoes when you can in order to give your feet a well-earned rest. Why not try wearing barefoot shoes for your commute?

A lot of us are wearing shoes that are far too small. Around half of women and a third of men buy shoes that don’t fit properly. Shoes that are too small cause compression that alters the shape of your feet, undermining natural movement and weakening your feet. We’d recommend having a finger’s width between your toes and the end of your shoe!

Around 55% of women suffer from bunions – approximately 9 times more than men! It makes sense to assume that this is likely to relate to the types of shoes women wear – after all, high heels may look great, but they certainly don’t let your feet move naturally. We’ve found that switching to properly fitting shoes can liberate your feet and vastly reduce foot pain by no longer compressing the toes.

Why not try a spot of Toega to help your feet get back in shape?Learn how here.

Now that you’ve had the chance to explore why we think barefoot is best, why not take of your shoes and let your feet enjoy a few hours of freedom!

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